Sonata Harpsicharm
by Daphne
Summary: It starts out okay, takes a twist I didn't quite want happening, and since I'm no good at writing gruesome scenes, I leave the ending up to you.


Sonata Harpsicharms

Hermione Granger crept silently out of her four poster bed. She went down the few flights of stairs, skipping every third step, they creak. Even at the slightest noise, Professor McGonagall would catch them for sure. 

_I can't believe I agreed to this..._ she grumbled. She sat beside the dying fire, waiting for Harry and Ron. They were going to use the invisibility cloak out of their dormitories, with the luck they had, they knew they wouldn't get caught.

This time, they were going to the library for research in the restricted section. They needed to produce somewhat of a clone of themselves... For later use. It would all be a hologram, of course.. No one could touch them or their hands would fly right through their body. It was a complicated spell, and once created, they needed to spend as much time with it as they could so the mirror image could speak like them, act like them, even sleep like them. It would easily come in handy for later explorations. 

It was a full time job... The bad thing was, Hermione didn't know if the spell was a potion, charm, or anything they've ever heard of! That was why they were going up there.. To find out.

She had conjured a charm which let light only to the beholder. It wasn't evil, like the one found by Malfoy in Knockturn Alley (Harry told them all about that), but the light was limited, only to be used for exactly one hour at a time before being exposed to everyone.

"Hermione! Psst!" Harry whispered before they removed their cloak. They sat down by the couch and watched Hermione. 

"Now? We should go. I have the light spell on the tip of my tongue. But what about Peeves?" Hermione asked.

"Not a problem!" Ron exclaimed, a bit too loud. Harry elbowed him in the ribs.

"Yeah, that's where we were. Why we're late. We acted like the Bloody Baron and told Peeves to stay out of the third floor or else!" Harry finished his sentence.

"Let's go then..." Hermione said, rather unhappily. Then again, she would get a look at the restricted section, which was a rare opportunity. She had written down a few books that weren't in the restricted section that the spell might be in.. That's where they'd look first.

They pulled the cloak over their heads and left out the portrait hole, went up the several flights of stairs and finally reached the library.

"Incantantum Lumos Ideum" Hermione whispered, and told the others to follow suit, as they whispered the spell themselves. A small fire appeared out of her wand. Her list included _Modern Spells of the 10th Century, Duplicates: How to and the consequences, _and_ Book of Spells Part CLXVII_. An interesting combination, but she had a feeling that the Duplicates book was in the restricted section, and the Book of Spells was supposed to be in the restricted section, but was the best book. She was positive that this book wouldn't scream when they opened it, and would have a ton of cool spells she wanted to use very badly. It was good that she brought a few scrolls and quills and ink, that way she could copy them down.

She raced off towards the B section, Harry and Ron following.

*

Harry wasn't too sure about this.... It was like Hermione was scared to death but full of joy, and that made him a bit uneasy. What if they didn't find the spell? Or got caught?

He sat down next to Hermione, reading the table of contents. Ron was looking in the restricted section, knowing better than touching any, just browsing.

"Yup, that proves it!" Hermione said, tapping the book.

"Proves what?" Harry asked, looking at the spell she was tapping.

"This spell is a restricted spell, making this a restricted book, that is supposed to be in the restricted section but was cataloged incorrectly." she stated, crossing her arms.

"Well, what spell is it?" Harry asked. She was making him nervous for some reason. He had to force the details out of her.

"A very complicated spell, called Sonata Harpsicharm, giving you the ability to either telepathize with the person of your choice, turn into an animagus, perform magic without your wand, or several other wonderful things."

"What's the bad thing about that?" Harry asked, confused.

"Well, you see, it's never been proven safe, for one, and you don't get to choose what you get, and you may only perform it once. It searches your mind for what would be best or worst for you. There is no evidence, no potions, just say a few simple words without your wand and you get something after a few minutes. It tells you only once what you got.. It's a bit like a fortune cookie, except it actually does something." Hermione exclaimed very slowly. Harry savored every word.

"Can I see it?" He asked after pondering about it a few moments.

"If you're going to do it, no you may not. Harry! What if you get telepathy?! Who would you pick? What if you turn into an animagus and become a dragon or something!? I wouldn't be very happy. Or if you can perform magic without wand!?! How would you explain it to the teachers???" Hermione raised her voice a bit higher and emphasized all the questions. This was followed by a few tisks and such.

"I don't think I'd do it now, I just want to know about it. For your questions, I would either pick you or Ron. Number two: I wouldn't be happy either, I just wouldn't turn into one at all. Numero tres: this book is not in the restricted section and I can do whatever I want since we checked it out for background reading. Plus, you can use your wand, so if your wand was snapped or lost at the top of a pit or something, you could still get out! Plus, I'd ask Dumbledore about it first,for his suggestions." He explained, smugly

"Humph!" Hermione grunted as she slammed the book closed and put it back and began to take off.

"Hey! What about getting caught? You don't have an invisibility cloak. And you better put that fire out... I can see it!" Harry laughed. 

"Harry! You drive me crazy!!" she whispered sternly.

"You're cute when you're mad, what can I say?!?!"

Hermione just nodded, and went to find Ron. "Harry, look!" she said with a snigger.

Harry went behind the mythology section where she was and saw Ron, fast asleep, nose in a shelf, snoring loudly. "It would be a bit funny if we left him here, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah, but we can't do that.. Do that thing Dumbledore does with a hurt person, float him into the dorm room. He'd scream if we woke him up now."

"Gryffindor house, password's Hippogriff, 7th year boy's dorm, bed on the right upper corner, Flingartium Deviosia, vit vit!" Harry said. Because he added those last two words, Ron was in bed before you could say go!

Harry and Hermione pulled the cloak over their heads and walked hand in hand to their dorm, where they said their last goodbyes and went to sleep.

**

Ron fell out of bed 30 minutes before the alarm went off. He had the weirdest dream the night before. He dreamt that they went to the library, he was looking at a picture of Pan and Athena really close up, then Harry said Hermione was cute, then Hermione was laughing at him and he flew into the dorm room! Really weird... He didn't usually dream like that. 

He wandered into the common room expecting to find Hermione there, waiting for both of them, in her love seat in the common room reading, but she wasn't there! _Must be pretty tired to be asleep still..._

Colin Creevey and Ginny were playing Fourth Knight, a wizard board game, all very complicated.. Colin was winning by 3 pairsand Ginny was very frustrated. They didn't even notice him there in his pajamas.

"Hey Ginny!" I exclaimed. Ginny jumped.

"Ron! You startled me! What are you doing up at this hour?!?" she asked, suspiciously.

"I fell out of bed... I can't believe I'm up this early either. Where's Hermione? I know Harry's still in bed.." he questioned.

"Oh, her? She's fast asleep!" she laughed at the shocked expression on his face. "Yeah, I know, I couldn't believe it myself!"

"Wow... " Ron looked at the clock. "15 minutes till breakfast! Gotta go wake Harry.. I don't think Hermione would want to miss breakfast.. could you go wake her up too?" he exclaimed.

"Sure! Umm, be right back Colin.."

Ginny had gotten over Harry over the summer before her third year. She was going out with Colin now, they were very happy together.

Ron raced up the stairs into their dorm and tapped Harry on the shoulder.

"Harry, time to get up!" he said, tauntingly.

"No, goway! 5 more minutes, please!" Harry begged.

Ron thought for a moment.. "No, you have a quidditch game in 4 minutes, don't think you'd want to miss that would you? And you've already slept through Potions, he deducted 100 points from Gryffindor because of you!" Ron said slowly.

Harry sat up straight and yelled, "WHAT????", grabbing Ron's collar in a death grip.

"Just kidding! You slept through the alarm and there's 15 minutes till breakfast. I just had to get you up somehow!" Ron said, peeling Harry's fingers off his neck.

"Oh, ummm.. sorry Ron, hehe!" Harry said.

***

Ginny crept up the stairs and into their dorm. Ginny was special because she got to room with the older girls. Samantha Halloway, her best friend, also sleeps there. Professor McGonagall wanted to test a room of mixed ages. There were two 7th years and two 6th years. Lavendar was the other 7th year girl. Lavendar was long gone, probably stalking Ron like she always did.. Hermione was the only one there, face down in the pillow. 

Ginny heard Hermione come in at 1 in the morning, but didn't want to say anything to Ron. No wonder she was still fast asleep!

"Hermione! Wake up! 15 minutes till breakfast" Ginny said gently, shaking her arm softly.

"Hmm?" Hermione asked, slowly rising up, looking at Ginny.

"15 minutes till breakfast.. But I have a question.. What were you doing from midnight to one in the morning last night?? I heard you sneak out.."

"You did? You aren't going to tell anyone, are you??" Hermione said, fully awake now.

"Nooo, nonono. Who do you think I am!?! Just wanted to know what you were doing.. That's all!" Ginny replied, smiling.

"Oh, okay, well... Harry, Ron, and I went to the library to look some stuff up... Ron fell asleep on a shelf, Harry had to send him back like Dumbledore does to sick patients! Quite funny.. I better get dressed!"

Ginny went down to breakfast, and Hermione got dressed and did the same, still wondering how anyone could have seen her.

****

Hermione noticed a bulletin stuck on several walls while going down to the Great Hall with Harry and Ron for breakfast. It read:

__

Get your dancing shoes on and join the party!

Music, friends, magic, and dancing..

What more could you ask for!?!

Attendance isn't mandatory..

But we hope to see you there!

Costumes are available for:

Singles

Couples

And other larger groups

-Hogwarts Staff

"How cool is that?" Hermione thought out loud. "Finally we're up to date with the muggles!"

"Yeah.. Hermione? Could you, umm, excuse us for a moment?" Ron pleaded.

"Sure! I understand you have personal lives that you are unable to tell me about.. It's okay!" Hermione raced off into the labyrinth of passageways that led to the Great Hall.

"What's up?" Harry asked once she was out of sight.

"Who are you going to invite to the dance? I mean, just wondering and all.." Ron finally sputtered out after a moments pause.

"I'll tell you if you tell me first!" Harry taunted.

"Okay, well I can't decide between Lavendar, Parvati, or someone else maybe in Ravenclaw."

"Well who do you like best?" Harry asked.

"I don't know! Lavendar seems really nice and she acts like she likes me and all, but Parvati is pretty nice too and Sandra in Ravenclaw is so pretty, but I don't think she likes me at all! She's head over heels for Dean Thomas!" Ron sadly stated.

"Lavendar really likes you Ron.. You would make a cute couple..." Harry offered.

"Yeah, I'll think about it. What about you?"

"Definitely Hermione. As bossy as she can sometimes be, she's nice and cute when she's mad!"

"I figured as such. C'mon! Lets catch up!" Ron raced down the hall, Harry laughed and followed.

****

"Guess what you guys." Ron said, switching positions in his seat.

"What?" Harry and Hermione said at the same time.

"I had a really weird dream! We went to the library, then in the mythology section I was looking at a really close up picture of Pan and Athena, then Harry said Hermione was cute, then Hermione was laughing at me, then I flew into my bed! It was so weird and realistic!" Ron said, very quickly.

Harry and Hermione stared at him a second, then burst out laughing.

"What?" Ron asked, alarmed.

"You, hehe, thought that was, hahaahaha, ahem, a dream?" Hermione stuttered then burst out into a new round of chuckles.

"It was.. Wasn't it?" Ron asked, very confused, as he stuffed oatmeal down his throat.

"I'll tell you later...." Harry said, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye

"Oh." Ron replied, feeling very left out.

They finished their breakfast in small talk, about the dance, and they left one by one to get their materials for charms.

*****

"Professor Flitwick? Professor!" Hermione waved her hand wildly at the short teacher teaching charms.

He looked up, and smiled. "Yes Hermione? We have a question?"

"Yes.. What is a Sonata Harpsicharm?" she asked politely.

"Oh my!", he fell backwards, then climbed up the pile of books that were now all over the place. "Where did you see that?"

"I read about it, but that's not the point. Please answer my question!" Hermione stated.

"Oh, yes.. Well a Sonata Harpsicharm is a spell that many say has four uses. One is that you may use magic wthout your wand. Two is beig able to communicate through thoughts to a person of your choice. Three is being an animagus, but you don't get to pick the animal. Four is being able to turn into a magic person if you are a muggle. But you don't get to decide which ability you gain, and it hasn't been proven totally safe. Plus, you may only do it once. But supposedly, there are other. One is the ability to bring a person who has lost their magic back into full power, or added power to those who haven't lost it. Now back to the lesson!"

This speech was followed by several gasps whispers between pupils.

"Wait sir! What isn't safe about it?" Harry asked, standing up.

"Knew you were going to ask this.. Well, there's a risk of turning into, into, into a muggle!"

Even more gasps followed. Hermione and Harry decided to let it go and to just move on with the lesson. 

******

That night, they made one more expedition to the library. On their way, they over heard McGonagall talking to Dumbledore in the hall. Harry motioned them to stop and listen. 

"....but Dumbledore. That's impossible! It doesn't exist, it can't happen."

"Oh Minerva, but it did. Voldemort had nothing to lose and everything to gain, and he got what he most desired."

"But where will he go now that he has full power?"

"I hate to say it, but more than likely here. To kill Harry Potter once and for all. After all, it was he that stole all his powers once. I would want revenge too!"

"What can we do?"

"We track him and wait. No need to tell him! But we must talk somewhere else... I have a feeling we are being heard."

At that moment, Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore walked off into his study, and Harry, Hermione, and Ron went back to the common room.

"Tomorrow is the day! I perform the charm and either live as a muggle or have more to go with. It's a lose/lose situation so far. I can't defeat him again, as the past years have broken down my shield. Especially with him in full power." Harry remarked, pacing the floor.

There was silence as Hermione sat down in her comfortable love seat, head on her hands, thinking.

"Me too." she finally said after thinking it over a few minutes. All eyes turned to Ron.

"Sorry guys, not me. I am performing the duplicate thing instead. For the past few days, I have read about illusionary things. I don't think I could be of help with the charm that you all are doing."

*******

The next day came quickly. They woke up with Ginny shaking them all, because they had fallen asleep in the common room. They spoke not one word to each other most of the day. 

In the beginning of potions, the door flew open in the middle of Snape's lectures.

"Go back to your common rooms please! All teachers need to be in a meeting. I repeat, there is an emergency meeting for teachers and all students are to go back to their common room!" Professor McGonagall marched into Charms with a magical amplifyer on her voice.

Everyone gathered their things, and walked out of the room. 

Harry said one word to both of them; "Now."

They no longer needed to go to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom anymore to do anything requiring extreme privacy. Instead, in the corner of common room behind the stairs, they created a room inside a wall. There was a secret entrance that required the touch of a finger to go inside. Even if you broke the wall down, you wouldn't find them. It's like being in a room somewhere in space.

They stayed in their common room long enough to be counted then went in tthe secret room. Hermione had already put in the _Book of Spells CLXVII _ in there, so they were all ready. As they were walking in, Harry turned.

"Are you sure you want to do this Hermione? I mean, it's totally up to you."

"I'm sure as I'll ever be!" she whispered nervously.

The page was already opened to the Sonata Harpsicharm and Ron, trying to put some happiness in the situation, asked in his best game show host voice, "Hey! Okay, who wants to maybe possibly lose their powers first!?!"

"Me." Hermione said, before Harry could open his mouth. "Yes, me. Hand me the book." she said after the moment's pause of shock. They had obviously thought Harry would volunteer first. _No.. It's my chance in the spotlight._

"Anna rhanna kontesque sannar ouble cayen sote..." It was like a song. She was being pulled in, she didn't have to read from the book, it was something you knew from deep inside. It made a magical person magic. It was the song of wizardry. Like dice, like rain, not understanding a word, she saw color and light as an electric bug zapped inside her brain, reading every thought and dream in milliseconds, figuring the best or worst. What did she deserve?

Then blackness, fading into colors and sound and images, beginning to shape and then she asked it, "What did I get?"

Black once again. A voice inside her spoke, though the others could not hear it. "You get to choose what you want."

"But.. but.." she thought.

"Choose." the voice sternly commanded.

"May I choose three small things?"

The voice paused. "What?"

"A better memory, more power, and a shield."

"There would be less power than if you just chose power.. Equal amounts?"

"No", she said after a moment. "No, 25% memory, 35% power, 40% shield."

"It has been asked, it has been done."

Her eyes fluttered open. She heard herself say the last words of the song, then looked up.

They looked at her for a few minutes. She looked back.

"Well! What did you get!?!?!" Ron asked, breaking the silence.

"25% more memory, 35% more power, and 40% a shield."

"How the heck did you figure that?" Ron asked, alarmed.

"I got to choose. That was so cool!"

"My turn." Harry said nervously. He took the book and began to read the same thing Hermione read. 

BAM! It hit him. It felt like a mirror being shattered, then something picking up the pieces, looking at each and every one, glueing them together like a puzzle. He saw, heard, and felt everything imaginable. He realized he didn't need to look in the book anymore, he knew it already. Then it all stopped. 

"Harry Potter." a deep voice said to him.

"Y-y-yyyess?" he managed to squeak.

"I see you have lots of bravery."

This felt like listening to the sorting hat.

"And a shield that already has protected you in many battles."

"Yes..."

"I grant you two gifts."

"What are they?" Harry asked.

"I can only give you the smallest amount of power before you reach the limit. That is one I give to you."

"And the second?" Harry thought.

"Telepathy. And to whom would you like to share this gift with?"

He thought. _Hermione could tell me the spells I need to use, or I could guide her into safety. Or I could share with Ron, give him extra help or vice versa.... Hmmmm..._

"I give you both, since I feel bad already for a mistake I made a week ago that will cost many lives. Good luck in your quest."

Harry finished the spell and opened his eyes.

"Your eyes are sparkling, Mr. Harry Potter!" Hermione taunted.

"Whatever.. tell us what you got!" Ron lept up and grabbed Harry's arm, shaking wildly.

"For one, I got a smidgen of more power, since he couldn't give me more."

"AND......." Hermione and Ron said at the same time.

"And telepathy with both of you!"

"Both of us? How?" Hermione said, furrowing her brow.

"He said he felt sorry for a mistake he made a few weeks back that'll kill a bunch of people, or something like that!"

They sat on the bean bags for a minute, thinking. How did he know it worked? He thought he'd test it.

_Hey Hermione! _ he thought.

_What? _ she replied.

_We better get back to the common room before someone misses us._

I guess so... 

********

They both got up and Ron followed suit. No one had missed them, but they were lucky enough to get out just in time for a dueling game, put together quickly by Professor McGonagall. You didn't have to play if you didn't want to, and the grade-wide winner wins a bunch of chocolate frogs and pumpkin pasties. 

"Okay, settle down, settle down... Here are the rules! One, you may not kill or seriously injure the other person. Two, I am the referee, whatever I say, goes. Three, have fun!" the Professor said in a fun tone, but nervous. 

Everyone cheered, and the dueling began with 7th years. Everyone wanted to play, including Neville, who loved pumpkin pasties more than anything.

McGonagall paired everyone up. Hermione was against Lavendar, Harry versus Dean Thomas, Ron against Seamus, and Neville against Parvati.

Hermione won easily, with her new found memory and power, it was amazing! Hermione yelled "Expelliarmus!", followed by "Petrificus Totalus!" and the game was finished.

Harry beat Dean Thomas by apparating behind him then roping him up. Unfortunately, Seamus beat Ron because he gave him a tickling charm before he could say anything. Parvati also beat Neville by pertifyng him after he roped her up!

This went on until there were only two contestants, Harry and Hermione. _Good game!_ Harry thought. _You too_. she replied.

"Contestants! On the mark, and duel!" McGonagall yelled and stepped back.

Harry caught Hermione off guard with a tickling charm, but she yelled exelliarmus between giggles and Harry's wand rose 2 feet in the air before he grabbed it back. She tried again, deciding to use a bit of power on this one. It flew out of his hand and into hers in seconds. She had won the game! Or had she? While relishing her moment of glory, Harry snatched it back and turned around. He could use some of his power too! 

"EXPELLERAMUS!!" they yelled at the same time, flying into the air and flinging on the walls like dolls. 

"I call this a draw!" McGonagall said while reviving the two of them. They weren't hurt, just knocked out. It might have been the most exciting game played all night.

*********

For those few moments, they forgot all about Voldemort. Their minds were on candy, and winning. Maybe that was why McGonagall did it, so they would all forget the danger the were possibly in. But now they knew. They knew that they would be all right no matter the outcome, and that's all that matters.


End file.
